NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. — In tackling conservative criticisms that his stance on foreign policy isn't strong enough, potential 2016 presidential candidate Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., assured an adoring crowd at the Conservative Political Action Conference on Friday that national defense is indeed the top priority of the federal government.

Although Paul was treated with a chant of "President Paul!" by the conference crowd as he spoke, his potential presidential candidacy will likely be attacked by some neoconservaitves who'll be quick to point out his once non-interventionist stance on U.S. foreign policy.

"When I look at government, I think the very most important thing we do on a federal level is defend our country. Without question, national defense is a constitutional function and is the most important function we have," Paul asserted. "When I look at spending and what we should spend money on — this or that or national defense — for me, the priority is always national defense." more >>

NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. — Jeff Ballabon, a Jewish activist and former senior vice president of CBS News, says Republicans and Evangelicals have always been more pro-Israel than Democrats or liberals.

Ballabon, who's also columnist, told those gathered at the Conservative Political Action Conference Thursday afternoon that over the past few decades Republicans have supported Israel far more than Democrats.

Using data collected by Gallup polling, Ballabon took issue with what he described as "the myth of bipartisanship," which is the claim that Democrats have been as supportive of Israel as Republicans. more >>

Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin spoke about President Obama and preventing Islamists from killing Christians at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference in National Harbor, Maryland, on Thursday.

"While Christians bow our head to pray for you [Obama], radical Islamists want to cut off your head," Palin said. "Aside from God almighty, the only thing standing between us and savages is the red, white and blue. It's the United States military."

Palin also criticized Obama for failing to protect Americans and thinking "the Islamic State isn't really Islamic." more >>

During the National Prayer Breakfast earlier this month, U.S. President Obama tried to shield Islam from criticism by depicting Christianity as equally violent and intolerant (via comments about crusades, inquisitions, and "high horses"). Much lesser known is that he also tried to shield Islam by invoking Christian virtues.

In many ways, his comments on "humility" might be the strangest of his entire speech—to the point that Obama himself got visibly confused by his own lack of coherency and even admitted it.

The transcript of the portion in question follows, interspersed with my comments and observations. more >>

Continuing with the rain of criticism toward the Obama administration's foreign policy pouring out of this week's Conservative Political Action Conference, former Texas Gov. Rick Perry wasted no time in his Friday morning speech jumping on the president for ignoring the "Apocalyptic" threat to America posed by the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria.

Perry, who has claimed he is "ready" for a potential 2016 presidential run, told the crowd that the Islamic State, also called ISIS or ISIL, is a far scarier threat than the president is leading Americans to believe.

ISIS, which has conquered large swaths of Iraq and Syria and has released propaganda videos threatening the very existence of the Western world, is not a threat that America simply can half-heartedly fight because the group's ultimate goal is to bring the world back to "seventh century," Perry claimed. more >>

More than 200 Assyrian Christians have been kidnapped by the terrorist organization ISIS, and prayers have gone out around the world for their safe return. Two members of the Assyrian Church of the East spoke with The Christian Post about the situation in Syria and the loss of several religious artifacts at the hands of ISIS.

Jennifer Griesenauer and her aunt, Toni Abraham, who live in the United States, have watched in horror as members of their faith are systematically being targeted for kidnapping and execution. This week it emerged that ISIS fighters also destroyed religious artifacts, reaching new levels of destruction and animosity.

"Oh my God it's horrible," Toni told CP late Thursday. "Khabour River area is where my great grandfather held a priest school. Under his teachings, we have many well-known bishops, priests and deacons who are scholars in Aramaic, the language Christ spoke, currently the Assyrian Church of the East. It's sad to see that church destroyed and our Assyrian people still being targeted because of our Christian religion." more >>